Stalking The Bluegills Maybe But Not Her !

Am I Stalking Her ?

I have been fishing out of a boat for bluegills on Wood Creek Lake in Kentucky lately.
One of my best spots happens to be in front of a certain elderly couples property. I get out at daybreak and cast the shore with a bobber - crickets and/or red worms.
The property owners have been leaving unbaited lines with bobbers out to prevent me from catching their bluegills. Yes he told me he spent allot of money putting up the house and building the dock and I have the whole lake to fish, so I should not fish near his property. I told him I had every right to fish there and he does not own the water. Then he proceeded to give me the double bird and call me every name in the book.
The lady actually threatened to call police and charge me with stalking !!!
Now if they were actually fishing or even sitting out enjoying their property I would move on, but no one has ever been out when I start fishing and when they do come out I move on down the shoreline. They still continue to holler.

I am in my late 50’s and never had this happen before - have any of you ?

Altho you have the right to be there, try to at least find a spot comparable to that one, to avoid those issues. I dont fish spots where i'll have to put up with rude people. Personally, i'd rather not catch fish than deal with people you're describing every time i'd show up. I fish to relax and have fun. Doesn't sound like to much fun to me. Avoid the hassle.

Kentucky Hunter Harassment Laws

(Ky. Rev. State. Ann. § 150.710 (Baldwin 1996)) BALDWIN'S KENTUCKY REVISED STATUTES ANNOTATED TITLE XII. CONSERVATION AND STATE DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 150. FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES

150.710 Intentional obstruction of lawful taking of wildlife. (1) No person shall intentionally obstruct or disrupt the right of a person to lawfully take wildlife by hunting, trapping, or fishing. (2) The Attorney General or any person directly affected may bring an action to restrain conduct unlawful under this section and may bring an action to recover damages. (3) The officers of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, or any other peace officer, police officer, state police officer, or sheriff may enforce this section. (4) This section shall not apply to incidental interference with the taking of wildlife by hunting, trapping, or fishing caused by lawful activities including, but not limited to, farming, mining, or recreation. (Enacts. Acts 1988, ch 81, § 1(1)-(4), effective July 15, 1988.) You can print this off and give it to them next time. Or just have the sheriff stop by and have a chat.

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Originally Posted by Phil in MO

Kentucky Hunter Harassment Laws

(Ky. Rev. State. Ann. § 150.710 (Baldwin 1996)) BALDWIN'S KENTUCKY REVISED STATUTES ANNOTATED TITLE XII. CONSERVATION AND STATE DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 150. FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES

150.710 Intentional obstruction of lawful taking of wildlife. (1) No person shall intentionally obstruct or disrupt the right of a person to lawfully take wildlife by hunting, trapping, or fishing. (2) The Attorney General or any person directly affected may bring an action to restrain conduct unlawful under this section and may bring an action to recover damages. (3) The officers of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, or any other peace officer, police officer, state police officer, or sheriff may enforce this section. (4) This section shall not apply to incidental interference with the taking of wildlife by hunting, trapping, or fishing caused by lawful activities including, but not limited to, farming, mining, or recreation. (Enacts. Acts 1988, ch 81, § 1(1)-(4), effective July 15, 1988.) You can print this off and give it to them next time. Or just have the sheriff stop by and have a chat.

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Phil Thanks for this !

chaunc - that is your choice to give in, but I am a person who feels just because someone has money and can own lake property doesn't give them higher status as a Kentucky Resident. Thanks for the advice but I intend to keep fishing that 300 yard section of the lake.

I actually had an older gentleman get so worked up over fishing around his dock he had a heart attack. Felt horrible for weeks when I found out he passed away from it. And my parents were landowners on the private lake as well, so we did have the rights to fish the lake. And no it is not one of the lakes that you own to the center. Yes we were in a boat.

Just call your game warden and take them fishing.... That will stop the problem, or should.

You know how people are, pure greed

Bet you are catching there fish also. Around Tampa Bay there is a lot of night fishing around lighted docks. Home owners will turn there lights out when they see you fishing around there dock. They will also let there dogs out in their back yard. Some have even called the police to run you off from their dock. You can't post the water.

You can't post public water here in Minnesota either, and most of it is public. Up here you could turn those folks in for unattended lines, too. If you tried to fish from their dock or from the shoreline it would be a quite a little dicier, but from a boat on public waters, they were way out of line.

In some states you do have to be careful about touching the bottom, as soon as you do you may be trespassing, since the owner of the shoreline may actually have property rights to the bottom but not on the water column over it. Strange as that may sound. There is quite a bit of variation from state to state about public access to fishing waters.

That is the kicker in be able to take game or fish "legally". Property rights in regard to fishing waters vary all over the place.

I would have a talk with the local conservation officer if I were you, to get the local straight skinny.

I would just keep fishing and act as though I didn't hear them. Once that realized they couldn't get any reaction from you they would probably just go away mad.